One year after finishing one spot away from the top eight in the NCAA Championships, senior Kenny Robertson has yet to wrestle a match this year.

After having surgery on his knee in the off-season, Robertson had been waiting for the doctors’ okay to wrestle.

Now he has the go-ahead, though a new problem has started for him.

“His knee is fine – he broke a finger warming up the guys (at the Missouri Open) and spent most of the day in the emergency room,” said head coach Ralph McCausland. “So if it’s not one thing it’s another.”

Even with the broken finger and coming off the knee injury, Robertson has been practicing with the team since the start of the season.

Junior Greg Perz said he is still doing well even with the newest injury.

“He’s struggling with his hand but he’s coming along,” Perz said.

Robertson, who wrestles the 174-weight class, said his body is just a bit banged up.

“My body’s all right,” Robertson said. “Just a little banged up. Bum knee and broken finger.”

Senior Kevin Knabjian had been wrestling in Robertson’s spot at 174-pounds, but injured his neck so has been held out also.

While Robertson has not been back in action, he has been helping the team at practice and tournaments as well.

He wrestles with some of his teammates during practice and helps show them different techniques to using during matches.

“He’s been in the practice room working with the guys,” McCausland said. “He’s gone with us as, basically, my assistant coach. He’s been warming the guys up before the tournament, working with the guys during the tournament. It’s very good for him to take on that aspect of it. It gives him a different perspective of it a little bit. I think that will benefit him as he gets back into it.”

Robertson is ready to come back right now mentally, but McCausland will watch throughout the week to see if he is ready physically.

With a broken finger, McCausland does not want him to struggle through a match this weekend at the Northern Iowa Open being bothered by it.

“I’d like to get him one match in before the Midlands Tournament,” said McCausland about the tournament on Dec. 29 and 30. “If nothing else, maybe a Northwestern dual before the Midlands Tournament.”

The team travels to Northwestern for a dual meet on Dec. 9.

Perz said it would be nice having Robertson wrestling again with dual meets coming up for potentially another win. He also said Robertson will just have to put the pain out of his mind this weekend.

“I think he’ll be able to wrestle tough this weekend,” Perz said. “It’ll be tough while he wrestles, but he’ll have to fight through it and deal with it afterwards.”